Downtown

Stephen at ColdSpringsShop blogs an article--third in the series (begins here)--from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about re-invigorating the urban downtown:

Civic and business leaders were hoping to replicate the old model of factory job creation for a Northern industrial city. Steeltech trained the unemployed as welders. Minority managers received majority stakes. The plant began life with a $66 million federal contract, five forms of state and federal funds, loans from six banks, its own special tax district and 42 lawyers.

It failed spectacularly.

Steeltech declared bankruptcy in 1999, eight years after its inception, leaving an empty factory inexplicably riddled with bullet holes and discrediting for many the old urban policy mix.

Stephen's says forced communities usually flounder:

To repeat, freedom to associate includes the freedom not to associate. What sort of public policy requires some kids to continue to attend school with other kids, simply to achieve some sort of "diversity?" Uniformity of underachievement appears to be the end result.

Though I agree completely, there might be another factor: attorneys. The 42 new lawyers in Milwaukee is quite a downside--I doubt lawyers contribute to GDP growth or productivity. Or to good spirits in general.

Except for those in the Washington D.C. region (where 1 in 12 is a lawyer) or Florida during leap years around Election Day.